Precise,
error-free and fast - these are the main requirements for robotic laser
welding in car body manufacture, for gluing and sealing of windscreens,
or when there are long cutting paths. The joint tracking system SCOUT,
developed by DASA (Daimler-Benz Aerospace), three-dimensionally positions
the robot or the portal along the joint with an accuracy of +/- 0.05mm.
Scout automates gluing, welding, sealing and cutting at tool path feedrates
of more than 20 meters per minute. Scout's realtime 3D image processing
(50 Hz) precisely follows the three-dimensional path of the joint.

The SCOUT Sensor Has a Good Reputation
in Large Companies

The production advantages of Scout, which does not require a time-consuming
teaching process, are well-established at internationally leading companies.
Volkswagen, for instance, was the first automobile manufacturer in the
world to use the SCOUT joint-guidance system for laser welding in the manufacture
of car bodies. P.S.A. (Peugeot/Citroen) is also testing SCOUT in its body
production. In the food industry, SCOUT is relied on when there is need
for non-porous laser joints, e.g. in vessel construction.
The latest generation of SCOUT can now also be used in MAG and MIG
welding, as well as in inert arc welding with non-consumable electrodes.

SCOUT: System Components and Interfaces

The sensor head and the sensor computer are the main components of Scout.
The sensor head, which is attached to the portal or the tool in a leading
position, transmits video sequences of the joint or the edge to the computer,
where the images are processed according to the patented light-slit / gray
image method. Every single video image captures up to five measuring points.
This guarantees a high density of measuring points, good signal-to-noise
ratio and the reliable recognition of starting and end points of the joint.
The sensor computer is based on VME-Bus and therefore supports all standardized
interfaces. In laser beam welding, the work laser can be controlled via
analog as well as digital interfaces. One-dimensional applications in joint
tracking with a separate linear or swivel axis have also been successfully
tested.
On the whole, the specific advantages of the SCOUT laser joint guidance
system come to fruition through the intelligent integration of the measuring
data into the robot or portal control.
The interface between the sensor computer and common control systems
can in the vast majority of cases be adapted for an existing installation
without any problems.

Scout has already been successfully
integrated into the following control systems: